Multiple turntable phonograph



Sept. 13, 1932.

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M. H. LOUGHRIDGE 1,877,625 IULI'IPLE TURNTABLE PfiONOGRAPI-I Filed June 15, 1928 IHIIJII.

1 lit a! is Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE TURNTABLE PHONOGRAPH Application filed June 15,

1928. Serial No. 285,724.

This invention relates to phonograph apan electric pick up at the beginning'of the" paratus and more particularly to a machine for duplicating phonograph records from a master recorch Its objects are to provide a machine of this type which is compact, portable, comparatively low in cost and easily operated. Other objects of the invention will appear from the following specification and the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1, is a side elevation of the machine complete,

F ig. 2 is a planview of the bracket arm supporting the turntable, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the stylus feed mechanism and Fig. 4 is aside elevation showing the feed mechanism, partly in section.

The present invention comprises a vertical stand preferably made from a pair of tubular standards to which brackets are secured at intervals each supporting a turntable in vertical spaced relation and a vertical drive shaft operatively connected with each turntable and with an operating motor in the base. A feed screw is connected with the drive shaft at the top and another feed screw is connected with the same shaft at the bottom. A mechanism mounted for transverse movement is connected with these feed screws and carries a stylus arm for each record which is moved transversely on the record to make a spiral groove thereon as the drive shaft is rotated.

The drive shaft is located outside the plane of the turntables and by a friction drive rotates the turntables which are mounted on a stem upon which the records are centered.

Any turntable may be disengaged from the drive shaft for the purpose of changing records without disturbing the operation of the other turntables.

A mechanism is provided whereby the stylus arms are raised simultaneously from the records and the feed mechanism is simultaneously disengaged from the feed screws so that the stylus on each record starts at the same instant and feeds at the same rate and stops at the same point.

One of the purposes of the invention is to make duplicates from a master record in a convenient and rapid manner. For instance the master may be placed on the upper turntable and the mechanism set with the stylus of groove. A blank record is placed on each of the other turntables with an electric recording stylus engaging the record. The electric pick up of the master record is connected through 5 amplifying circuits with the recording heads whereby duplicates are made as the machine is driven.

Inthe drawing, 11 is the base having a pair of bosses 12 supporting the pipe standgo ards 13 and 14. The electric motor 15 mounted on the base and regulated by the centrifuge 16, through the shaft 18 and worm 17 drives the vertical drive shaft 19 between the standards 13 and 14. U6

The turntable bracket 20 is clamped to the pipe standards 13 and 14 and has a horizontal arm 21 terminating in'a aw 22 to which the stem arm 23 is pivoted at 24. The arm 23 terminates in a pad 25 in which the stem 26 is centered and upon which the turntable 27 is rotatably mounted. The arm 23 projects at 28 and engages the compression spring 29 which abuts on the projection 30 on arm 21. This applies a bias to the turntable holding it in engagement with the friction wheel 32- on the drive shaft 19 and avoiding lost motion in this connection. A turntable may be taken out of operation by the thumb nut 31 which moves the arm 23 away from the fric- 30 tion wheel 32. It should be hoted that the friction wheels 32 are all of equal diameter and the turntables 27 engaged by these friction wheels are all of equal diameter. This arrangement is provided when the turntables 5 are to be rotated at uniform speed.

The feed mechanism is for the purpose of moving the stylus head transversely across the turntable as the latter is rotated to make a spiral groove thereon. This mechanism is embodied in a bracket 41 secured to the pipe standards 13 and 14 above the turntable bracket 20. As shown in Fig. 3 a worm 46 on the drive shaft 19 engages a worm wheel 45 and thereby rotates the feed screw 44 pivoted 06 v in bracket 41. A guide rod 43 parallel with the feed screw is also mounted in bracket 41. A slot 42 is provided in bracket 41 and a corresponding aligning slot is provided in bracket 20 in which the vertical rod 47 is free to move transversely. A crosshead member 48 arranged to slide on the guide rod 43 engages the vertical pipe rod 47 at each bracgret and guides the transverse movement of 4 Pivoted on the guide rod 43 and engaging the crosshead 48 by a jaw engagement is the feed arm 49 engaging at its outer end the feed secrw 44. Also pivoted on the guide rod 43 and engaging 49 by the 'j aw 50 is the stylus arm 51 carrying the stylus head 52. Thus movement of the arm 49 by the screw 44 moves the vertical rod 47 and the stylus head 52 on the guide rod 43.

The screw feed 44 is provided for the upper turntable A and for the lower turntable D as indicated in Fig. 1 and carries the vertical 'rod 47 with the feeding mechanism sliding on guide rods 43 transversely in the slot 42 and with it the stylus arms on each of the intermediate turntables. Thus the stylus is fed across each turntable simultaneously and to the same extent.

Mounted on the top of the pipe rod 47 is the eccentric 56 controlled by handle 55 and connected to the rod 57 passing through the pipe. This pipe is slotted on opposite sides at each location of the stylus arm as indicated in Fig. 4 and a crosshead 58 projects through the slots and is connected with the rod 57. The jaw of the stylus arm 51 has a depending finger 59 which engages the crosshead 58 as rod 57 is raised with the result that the stylus arm is raised from the turntable as the handle is moved to raise rod 57.

The feed arm 49 has a projection 60 which engages 58 as the rod 57 is brought to its highest position which causes disengagement between the feed arm and the feed screw and enables the feed mechanism to be reset to the arms from the feed screw. The stylus heads are thus always raised before the feed mechanism is released for resetting. By embodying the releasing mechanism in the tube 47 it is carried with the feeding mechanism and can be used for releasing purposes at any position on the record. An inclined plane may be provided on bracket 41 at 62 which will automatically raise the arm 49 when the limit of its movement has been reached.

In the operation of this machine the recording heads are each connected in circuit with the master reproducer through suitable amplifying means so that each stylus receives the same electrical impulses and transcribes them on the record mechanically. The master record may be placed on turntable A and the blanks on turntables B, G and D. The

of the master record and the recording stylus on the duplicates is positioned at the same tlme. Each turn table is rotated by a smooth friction drive from the same shaft and at the same speed. When the ick up stylus has com leted the grooves in t e master record, the uplicates are completed at the same time, the releasing handle 55 is operated to raise the stylus on each record and release the feeding mechanism which is restored to the starting position, the blanks are replaced, or turned over for recording on the opposite side and the process is repeated.

This machine is particularly adapted for reproducing metallic records made according to the Wadsworth process as disclosed iii U. S. Patent 1,421,045, June 27, 1922. These records can be produced from a master at comparatively high speed. The reproduction is made direct from the master immediately the master has been recorded and the duplicates are ready for use as soon as they come off the machine.

The duplicates are a faithful reproduction of the master, being recorded at the same speed and electrically synchronized in recording the undulations. of the master. The volume of the recorded impulses can be varied by regulating the controlling circuit of the recording stylus.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A phonograph as described comprising a stand supporting a row of turntables spaced one above the other, a vertical shaft located outslde the peripheries of said turntables, means connecting said vertical shaft with said turntables for simultaneously driving said turntables at uniform speed and spring controlled means included with said connecting means for connecting each of said turntables with said drive.

2. A phonograph as described comprising a stand supporting a plurality of turntables spaced one above the other, a vertical shaft in said stand located outside the peripheries of said turntables, a wheel on said shaft for each turntable operatively engaging said horizontall towards said friction wheels and means forriving said shaft.

4. A phonograph as described comprising a stand supporting a plurality of turntables, a shaft in said stand, a friction wheel on said shaft for each turntable, means individual to each turntable for securing frictional engagement between said turntables and said" friction wheels by moving said turntable horizontally toward said friction wheels and means for driving said shaft.

5. A honograph as described comprising a pair 0 standards, a bracket secured to said standards and having a horizontal arm supporting a turntable, a shaft with a frictlon wheel engaging said turntable associated with said standards and means-for driving said shaft.

6. A phonograph as described comprising a pair of standards, a bracket secured to said standards and having a horizontal arm, an arm pivoted to said horizontal arm supporting a turntable, a shaft with a frictign wheel engaging said turntable, a spring moving said pivoted arm to force engagement between said turntable and friction wheel and means for driving said shaft.

7 A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables spaced vertically one above the other, means for rotating said turntables, a stylus for each turntable and means independent ofsaid turntables for feeding the stylus of each of said turntables in unison as the turntables are rotated.

8. A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables spaced vertically one above the other, means for rotating said turntables at the same speed,'a stylus head for each turntable and a feeding mechanism independent of said turntables connecting all of said stylus heads and feeding them to the same extent as the turntables are rotated.

9. A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables spaced vertically one above the other, means for rotating said turn tables at the same speed, a plurality of feed screws connected with said rotating means, a feeding mechanism operatively connected with said feed screws, a stylus head for each turntable and means connecting said stylus heads with said feeding mechanism.

10. A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables, means for rotating said turntables at the same speed, a feeding mechanism operatively connnected with said rotating means, a stylus head for each turntable operatively connected with said feeding mechanism and means operatively connecting said stylus heads whereby they are raised and lowered together.

11. A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables spaced vertically one above the other, means for rotating said turntables, a feeding mechanism operatively connected with saidrotating means, a stylus head for each turntable operatively connected with said feeding mechanism and means whereby said stylus heads are raised from the turntables and said feeding mechanism is disconnected from said rotating means.

12. A phonograph as described comprising a lurality of turntables, means for rotating said turntables. a plurality of feed screws associated with said rotating means, a feeding mechanism operatively connected with said feed screws, a stylus for each turntable operatively connected with said feeding mechanism and means for simultaneously disengaging said feeding mechanism from'said feed screws.

13. A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables spaced vertically one above the other, means for rotating said turntables, a feeding mechanism operatively connected at a plurality of points with said rotating means, a stylus for each turntable operatively connected with said feeding mechani m and a rod for disengaging said feeding mechanism from said rotating means.

14. A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables, means for rotating said turntables, a feed screw connected with said rotating means, a feeding mechanism having an arm connected with said feed screw, a stylus for each turntable operatively connected with said feeding mechanism and a rod for raising said styli from engagement with said turntables and for independently disengaging said arm from said feed-screw.

15. A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables placed in spaced relation, one over the other, a shaft with friction wheels engaging said turntables, means for rotating said shaft, a feeding mechanism including horizontal feed screws operatively connected at top and bottom with said shaft and a stylus head for each turntable carried by said feed mechanism.

16. A phonograph as described com rising a stand with a' movable turntable, a shaft in a fixed location in said stand having a friction wheel engaging said turntable, means for driving said shaft and spring controlled means for holding said turntable in frictional engagement with said wheel and manual means for disengaging said turntable from said wheel.

17. A phonograph as described comprising a. stand with a turntable, a shaft in said stand having a friction wheel engaging said turntable, means for driving said shaft, means for moving said turntable horizontally in one direction into engagement with said friction wheel and means for disengaging said turntable from said friction wheel by moving said turntable in the reverse direction.

18. A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables supported on astand, a driving shaft in said stand, means securing III frictional engagement between each of said turntables and said driving shaft b moving said turntables horizontally towards said driving shaft and means whereby any of said If turntables may be disengaged from said driving shaft without disturbing the operation of the other turntables. 19. A phonograph as described comprising a plurality of turntables supported one above the other on a stand, a vertical driving shaft in said stand, means operatively connecting said driving shaft with each of said turntables and means whereby any of said turntables may be disengaged from said driving shaft by moving said turntables horizontally relative to said shaft when the phonograph is in operation.

20. In a phonograph as described, the com; bination, a stand, a plurality of turntables so having stems supported by said stand one above the other, a vertical driving shaft in' said stand located outside the peripheries of said turntables and parallel with said stems, a speed regulated motor driving said shaft and independent means for moving and maintaining said stems parallel with said driving shaft and means for connecting each of said turntables with said driving shaft to drive said turntables simultaneously. 21. A phonograph comprising a pan of pipe standards, supported from a base, a plurality of brackets adjustably clamped on said standards one above the other in vertical alignment, a phonograph turntable operatively mounted on each of said brackets and a vertical shaft supported by said brackets having means for driving each of said turntables.

22. A phonograph comprising. a air of 40 standards supported from a base, a p urality of brackets supported by said standards, a phonograph turntable and feed mechanism operatively mounted on each of said brackets and a vertical shaft mounted on said brackets independently of said turntables for driving said turntables and feed mechanisms.

23. A phonograph comprising a air of standards supported from a base, a p urality of brackets supported by said standards, a phonograph turntable operatively mounted on each of said brackets and a vertical shaft mounted in said brackets independentl of said turntables for driving said turnta les. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. MATTHEW H. LOUGHRIDGE. 

